Ten Things I Hate About You
by moonygirl83
Summary: After movie night, Rush reads something he wasn't supposed to. This leads to Eli reading what he is not supposed to. Or is he?
1. Chapter 1

Ten Things I Hate About You

Dr Nicolas Rush was not in a good mood. Actually that would be an understatement as he was seriously considering the ways he could get rid of one Dr Lisa Park and getting away with it. After all, this was all her fault. It had all started with the damn movie. The damn movie she had downloaded on her laptop. Why any scientist with any ounce of self-respect would even want to admit to have seen that movie, much less have it on their laptop was beyond Rush's comprehension (and quite frankly beyond his care as well).Easier to blame her.

Actually maybe it wasn't only her fault. Rush keenly remembers Wray and Young discussing boosting morale. And what brilliant idea did they come up with? Oh yes, movie night (with compulsory attendance) once a week in the mess hall. Peachy.

Even if he did manage to get rid of them both, he probably wouldn't be able to get away with it. Thanks to Eli spying on him. And here he had to admit it to himself was the crux of the matter: Eli. Eli always so eager to help anyone and everyone. So much so that when Lieutenant Johansen asked him to accompany her to inspect a new section of the Destiny they had just cleared to see if there would be anything of use there for the infirmary, Eli left in such a hurry that he forgot to take his laptop and notes away with him.

And that's when Rush decided to power down Eli's laptop to save its battery. And that's where his troubles began. And that's why he has currently locked himself in his quarters, plotting away the murders of Lisa Park, Camille Wray and Colonel Young.

Because here is what he read on Eli's computer:

What I hate about Nicholas:

1) His snarkiness. Honestly, unless it's laced with irony, the man doesn't speak. He grunts and he growls and he glares a lot. And that really shouldn't be that hot but it is.

2) He is always rude to everyone. And most of the time he seems to have totally forgotten that I found him on my doorstep not the other way round. So he had to have wanted me here at one point or another. Now if he could only want me…

3) The fact he acts like he knows everything better than everyone else. Which he does, come to think of it. Which brings me right back to the snarkiness… and the hotness…

4) My getting caught in the crossfire between him and Colonel Young. And why is that? That's because they are both acting stubborn. So Nicholas wants me to spend all my time helping him figuring the various systems of the Destiny and Colonel Young wants me to spend my time spying on Nick. But hey, that means hours during which I can indulge myself studying the prodigy of a man with Young's blessing so that's not so bad after all…

And let's not forget how he looks when he is getting all riled up…

5) That he is always so closed off about himself. Apart from the fact that he was addicted to coffee, he doesn't talk about himself. And his addiction was made known to everyone on board when he went through withdrawal. And on some days, knowing so little (or nothing really) about a man who is so important in my life totally irks me. But then I remember knowing nothing about him means it's a puzzle to solve. And there's nothing I like more than solving puzzles. Apart from, maybe, my mom's cookies but they're not as challenging. And most definitely not as challenging as Nick is…

And while Rush would have lived happily never knowing about Eli's apparent crush on him, he could definitely live with that fact. No problem at all. What he wasn't so sure he could live with though (and that had him hiding, no, not hiding, but safely retreating in his quarters, plotting away murders) was what he had done afterwards. Come to think of it, maybe he had been possessed. Um, no, not very likely. Or, yes, that must be it: the new food they had recently discovered must not sit right with him. Now he only had to remember what he had eaten last (come to think of it, when as well) and avoid that particular food like hell in the future. Yes, it sounded like a good plan.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Universe. Obviously. If I did, it wouldn't be Rush stuck on that planet…

Eli Wallace was pacing in his quarters, his mind in turmoil. After all, nothing he had ever learned or experienced at school, MIT or in his video games could have prepared him for what had happened to him.

Now he was wondering if he could in any way get rid of Lisa Park and get away with it. Mind, he could very well add whoever thought movie night once a week would boost morale to the list. Did they stop to think the effect it would have on him? No, of course not.

Thing is, he is in a deep and unnerving confusion. He has no idea how to act and he has a feeling it's not going to get any better. Maybe if he starts from the beginning this whole mess will make sense.

So Colonel Young started the ball rolling by mentioning that movie nights would be held once a week in the mess hall and adding that attendance was compulsory. Which Eli thinks was meant to piss Rush off because only a blind idiot would fail to see how much Nicholas loves working and discovering new things about the Destiny. Then Lisa stated she had quite a few movies on her laptop (maybe not so surprising coming from a woman who is already well on her way to sleeping with all the males on board) and so they were made to watch THAT movie.

And just so that made Eli start to think about Nick (no real surprise there, he does spend an impressive amount of time with him after all). But that led him to start working on the various things he hates about Nicholas which led to what he likes about him. And yes, he was supposed to be working but a guy is entitled to a break here and there, right? Right.

And he totally forgot to close hi laptop when T.J. asked him on a tour of the Destiny to find something useful medical-wise and he followed her. Always best to be on good terms with the one who has the power to use needles…

When he came back to the control room, his laptop was closed which Eli was pretty much sure he hadn't done and there was a piece of paper on top of it Eli was 100% sure he hadn't seen before. Why using paper when you have a PC at your disposal?

And it is that piece of paper that has him confused and pacing his quarters.

Because here is what he read on it:

What I hate about Eli:

1) The fact that he is a genius but always puts himself down like it's not such a big deal. He solved a millennium-old problem playing a damn video game. A problem I had spent over 6 months working on and still hadn't solved. And I have yet to decide whether I feel insulted when he says it's no big deal or if I want to find every single person that made him feel he was not worth their time and make them pay. Mind I should probably start with myself then…

2) His openness to other people. He is friendly. Good. He should have friends. But they shouldn't barge in here and take him away from m…his work.

3) His constant optimism. No matter what kind of trouble we're in (usually the we're going to die kind) he is always smiling. And the more people see him smile the more I want to make it stop. And then I have to open my mouth and what comes out of it makes him do so. And then I feel like a world-class asshole. Go figure…

4) His spying on me for Colonel Young. Not that I don't understand it. The Colonel doesn't trust me one bit. Good. I don't trust him to take the hard decisions either. But involving Eli? Now that is ridiculous. He isn't exactly subtle about it (like I wouldn't notice the constantly hovering Kino?). Now if he were doing it for other reasons…

5) What he does with his free time. It involves following Miss Armstrong around like a lost puppy looking for a good home. However, she seems to prefer the company of Lieutenant Scott. Why anyone would feel so is beyond me. Well, that's her loss. Now if only her loss could be my gain…

And now Eli is stuck between confusion and embarrassment. He is totally embarrassed by the fact that Nick has read what he has written and he doesn't get why he found that note on top of his laptop instead of the astrophysicist ready to chew his ass. But then he starts reading the note again and when he's done everything starts clicking into place like a puzzle assembling itself. Nicholas would never have left that note there unless…Unless he had wanted Eli to read it, unless he had wanted Eli to know…

With a new goal in his mind, Eli left his quarters to try and find Nicholas. First stop, his quarters…

Dr Nicholas Rush was not entirely surprise when the door to his quarters simply opened. As he had said, Eli was not exactly subtle. He saw Eli hesitating a few seconds and just as he was about to say something, everything became blurry as Eli was kissing him with desperation.

When they broke up for air, Nicholas knew he had to ask:

"Are you sure? I saw your hesitation…

- Yes, I'm sure. And I wasn't hesitating merely surprised to find you in the first place I looked. Now can we get back to kissing?"

He got an immediate answer.

The end.


End file.
